A HIGHBRIDGE school which has made a raft of improvements in a bid to boost its Ofsted rating has been praised by an MP.

The King Alfred School was placed into special measures by Ofsted after it was rated as 'inadequate' following an inspection in April 2017.

In a bid to change its fortunes the school joined the Priory Learning Trust in October 2018 and

Since joining the trust the school has improved its GCSE results, launched the Jill Dando News Centre, had new £1.2million roofs installed and been the first school scout group to launch in the UK.

Highbridge MP James Heappey visited the school last month and described the school's progress as 'inspirational'.

Mr Heappey said: “There is an amazing energy around The King Alfred School Academy and it was noticeable how everyone I spoke to from year seven to sixth form spoke positively about the changes in the school.

“These things don’t happen by accident. The staff and leadership at the school have put in a huge amount of effort to make these improvements over the last eighteen months and it’s so pleasing to see that hard work rewarded with such glowing reviews from our young people.”

Nathan Jenkins, principal of The King Alfred School, praised the hard work of staff, parents and students to make changes at the school and said he is excited for the future.

He said: "We are enthusiastic and excited but there is much more to come.

"The community, parents and carers are really behind the changes and what is happening. This is a real partnership.

"The students really look smart and ready for business in their uniform, and there is passion, positivity and expectation that more amazing things are about to happen."

And Neville Coles, executive principal of The Priory Learning Trust, said: “We have been relentless from the beginning on making the changes necessary to make TKASA an excellent school. There has been huge progress.”